Athaldus Helvalor
Athaldus was born into a small noble family, his father Tiberius is a Knight that served in Stormwind's military, his mother Alessia raised Athaldus with Tiberius on how to be a man of Honor and Integrity and also how to fight. At the age of fourteen, Athaldus' combat proficiency had earned him the intrigue of a seasoned veteran and paladin, Sir Tolan. Tolan taught Athaldus the ways of The Holy Light to aid him in combat and to protect his friends. He never allowed Athaldus to have a day of rest until the end of his training, refusing to allow him to be weak. Upon his graduation, Sir Tolan announced him Athaldus a Paladin of The Holy Light. There was a few weeks of rest, but then, a letter from Tolan to go to war. They would need Athaldus on the frontlines of Northrend. Consulting with his father, Tiberius gave his blessing with his sword and shield. Athaldus arrived a few weeks after in the Borean Tundra where he quickly enlisted with the Stormwind military, he knew his life was about to change and he was nervous how. This campaign was long, arduous. Countless nights were spent without rest, not only due to combat, but even during quiet moments Athaldus knew that his brothers and sisters that had fallen in battles prior would soon be upon them.The Scourge was truly a frozen nightmare. As the threat of the Scourge began to fade and the traitorous Lich King Arthas had fallen, Athaldus set sail for the Eastern Kingdoms, eager to see his family. When the ship arrived in the harbor, the attack on Stormwind was very visible. Athaldus gripped the hilt of his Father's sword in terror, afraid of the damage caused and even more afraid of what could have caused it. He knew his time in Stormwind would not be very long. Fighting alongside Tolan against the enemies raised from the Cataclysm, Athaldus had realized moments too late that the enemy would stop at nothing for victory. As Deathwing's minions fell one by one, one of the elemental spirits exploded in a fiery blaze as it's last chance to impact the battlefield. Athaldus was knocked unconscious by the impact and Tolan extracted him from the conflict. Waking up in an infirmary in Stormwind, his father and mother were there awaiting for his eyes to open so they could be there when their boy woke up. They informed Athaldus of what the attendants had said, that he was gravely wounded from the blast and that he would not be able to serve for quite some time. With the end of the Cataclysm, Athaldus, accompanied by his now pregnant wife Avaelynn, they welcomed home Sir Tolan and other soldiers Athaldus had fought alongside in battles past. There was a huge celebration held and then there was peace. When a messenger had arrived at the gates of Norvandhall Keep, the call to war came once again for Athaldus as a conflict erupted in a strange new continent to the South. The Horde quickly became a threat that could no longer be ignored. Sir Tolan arrived shortly after the messenger bearing the same message, helmet and sword in hand. With saddened farewells to their families, they left for war. Tolan was promoted to the rank of Captain, his experience landed him command of a sizeable force to begin their offense against the Horde immediately, Athaldus was his Lieutenant and together they led the Alliance to victory in countless battles. Forced awake by frightened soldiers, Athaldus quickly got to his feet to find that his camp was being ambushed. Horde soldiers managed to surround it, they laid in wait for when Tolan sent out patrol parties so the number of soldiers to fight was significantly less than desired. Tolan had been captured and executed shortly after as his soldiers watched. The Horde had never faced a paladin with as much wrath until that day as Athaldus watched Tolan fall to the ground. A pyrrhic victory, a mentor lost, but Athaldus was promoted to command of the unit shortly after. He continued to fight with merciless righteous, holy flames and unbridled fury. The Warchief standing in chains awaiting to be prosecuted for War Crimes, Athaldus returned home once again. That is, until the threat only moved to another dimension, a short respite for this paladin it seemed. His experience against the Kor'kron and the Horde granted Athaldus another promotion to Commander, leading soldiers to victory against the Iron Horde through the entirety of the campaign. Fighting orcs had become second nature, minimal losses had occurred with Athaldus as he was wary of sharing the same fate of his mentor. Towards the end of the conflict, Athaldus' battalion was ambushed yet again as they were marching to the jungles of Tanaan. They had fought off the Iron Horde soldiers, their fel corruption making them a hardened enemy but still defeated by the proud soldiers Athaldus commanded. It was then the enemy had grown tired of defeat, in a last effort for victory, they summoned portals that spewed forth countless demons of the Burning Legion. Just a taste of what was to come, this was an enemy that Athaldus had not faced before. Countless lives were lost that day, the battle lasting three days of what seemed like was a gruesome and bloody eternity with soldiers falling one, by one. The remaining months dragged on as scales of war changed, victories and defeats combined against the Burning Legion and Gul'dan's fel army until Gul'dan was forced to retreat from Hellfire Citadel. Arriving back at the estate, Athaldus enjoyed doing the daily chores of maintaining the land. He also began to raise Talen with his wife, preparing him for the bright future ahead of him, even though the future Athaldus was to face troubled his every thought and kept him awake at night. After the Battle of the Broken Shore, Athaldus was appointed as High Commander of The First Legion. A unit of Stormwind's military, dedicated to the Legacy of Lordaeron, created to show that Lordaeron would some day be rebuilt. They fought valiantly against The Burning Legion under Athaldus' command throughout the Broken Isles campaign, onto Argus where they fought for victory against the Burning Legion. Further still they served as the drums of war sounded once more, to fight the Horde. As the war against the Horde came to a close, The First Legion was disbanded by the Kingdom of Stormwind so that soon Lordaeron can rebuild it's legacy of The First. Given time to rest at his estate, Athaldus forged a new order, The Lion Order under House Helvalor to rid the world of the darkness that plagues it. Category:Characters